06 Grand Touring Cabriolet Sports Sports Stick 6 Speed 4 Cyl 2.0l Manual Blue on 2040-cars

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Junkyard Gem: 1991 Mercury Capri XR2

Just a year after the Mazda MX-5 Miata first went on sale in the United States, Ford's Mercury Division began selling a similarly-priced two-seat convertible here. This was the 1991-1994 Mercury Capri, and I've found an example of the hot-rod turbocharged version in a northeastern Colorado car graveyard. The Capri name has an illustrious history within the Ford Empire. First used on a Lincoln in 1952, it went on to serve as the name for a hardtop version of the early-1960s Ford Consul in the UK, then as the designation for a low-end trim level on the 1966-1967 Mercury Comet. Starting in the 1969 model year in Europe (1970 in North America), Ford began selling the best-known Capri of all: a sporty coupe based on the Cortina, sold through Mercury dealers in the United States but never badged as a Mercury here. Sales of that Capri halted here after 1978 (they continued through 1986 in Europe), but the Mercury Division then moved the name over to its version of the 1979-1986 Ford Mustang. After that, Ford Australia took the Capri name for a new Mazda 323-based sports car beginning in 1989. Then Dearborn decided that an Americanized version of the Australian Capri would be a success on this side of the Pacific, and left-hand-drive Capris began showing up in American Mercury showrooms in late 1990. Today's Junkyard Gem is one of those first-model-year cars, and it's the very rare turbocharged XR2 version. While this car was intended to be a competitor for the Miata, it's really that car's Mazda cousin. Both cars got their power from 1.6-liter versions of Mazda's versatile B engine, though the Capri had the same front-wheel-drive setup as its 323/Protege (and Escort/Tracer) platform siblings. At the same time, Ford was selling Kia-built Mazdas with Festiva (and, a bit later, Aspire) badging, alongside Mazda MX-6s with Probe badges. Just to make things interesting, American Mazda dealers were selling Ford Explorers as Mazda Navajos, while Rangers with Mazda badges followed starting in 1994. The 1990s were Mazda-riffic times at Ford! This car wasn't the first Australian-designed, Mazda-based Ford product sold in the United States. That honor belongs to the 1988-1989 Mercury Tracer, which was based on the same Mazda 323 platform as the Capri and built in Mexico. Later on, the Tracer remained a member of the 323 chassis family but was a nearly identical twin to its Ford Escort sibling.

Future Classics, Acura Integra Type S and Cadillac Escalade-V | Autoblog Podcast #759

In this episode of the Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Associate Editor Byron Hurd. They jump right in with some news that Toyota may revive the Land Cruiser in the U.S., followed by rumors of a Nissan GT-R successor. From there, it's on to official confirmation of the Acura Integra Type S revival, followed by a partial rundown of Hagerty's 2023 Bull Market List. After that, it's time for some road test updates. Greg talks about his time in Autoblog's long-term BMW 330e PHEV and contrasts it with the 2023 Cadillac Escalade-V. Byron has been driving a Nissan Rogue, Mazda CX-30 and an Infiniti Q50 — serving as a perfect launch pad for a look back at 2022's best sport sedans. After that, it's a preview of Autoblog's 2022 Holiday Gift Guide.  Send us your questions for the Mailbag and Spend My Money at: Podcast@Autoblog.com. Autoblog Podcast #759 Get The Podcast Apple Podcasts – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes Spotify – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast on Spotify RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown Return of the Land Cruiser? Nissan's GT-R successor Acura Integra Type S confirmed Hagerty's 2023 Bull Market List What we've been driving 2022 BMW 330e long-term update 2023 Cadillac Escalade V-Series 2023 Infiniti Q50 2023 Mazda CX-30 Best sport sedans for 2023 Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on Apple Podcasts Autoblog is now live on your smart speakers and voice assistants with the audio Autoblog Daily Digest. Say “Hey Google, play the news from Autoblog” or "Alexa, open Autoblog" to get your favorite car website in audio form every day. A narrator will take you through the biggest stories or break down one of our comprehensive test drives. Related video: Podcasts Acura BMW Cadillac Infiniti Mazda Nissan Toyota Long-Term Garage

2019 Mazda3 Hatchback AWD Premium Second Drive | Gushing about an exceptional car

The 2019 Mazda3 Hatchback is quite simply one of the best cars I've ever driven. During my week with one, specifically a range-topping Premium package version for $31,335, I struggled to come up with bad things to say apart from elements like rear visibility and back seat headroom that are directly related to its distinctive, avant garde design. That's an acceptable tradeoff in my book. So many of the new 3's elements can serve as a measuring stick for other cars. Not just its specific compact hatchback/sedan class, but all other cars, period. I had the Mercedes CLS 450 at the exact time, a car I deeply appreciate and that cost $69,000 more, and yet it was a struggle to decide which I wanted to drive. Perhaps not surprising given the 3's history, but the measuring stick is set first by the handling. It dances between corners with composure and feedback that you just don't get in cars any more Í– let alone at this price point. This is a car you feel through your butt, your heels on the floor and your hands on the wheel. Everything is just so right. And it should be noted that I came to this conclusion before remembering that Mazda switched to a cheaper, less sophisticated torsion beam rear suspension for this latest model. Perhaps you can tell the difference driving 10/10ths at a test track, but in the real world, I certainly didn't notice or log a complaint. Grip is superb. Even when the tires gave way a bit on my mountain road evaluation route, there was only a bit of squealing and it resolutely whipped itself through hairpins with shockingly little understeer for a front-drive-based car, helped no doubt by its all-wheel drive system. It would be interesting to see how much understeer the front-drive versions allow, and whether AWD is mitigating torque steer given the 3's not-insignificant power. As it is, the 3's standard 2.5-liter four-cylinder produces 186 horsepower and 186 pound-feet of torque, which is substantially better than virtually every other base engine in the segment. Its throttle response should be copied by everyone, as should the steering. OK, maybe not Porsche, which I keep finding myself drawing comparisons to whenever experiencing a new Mazda. Take that as the compliment it seems to be. I'd also like to note that the 3 has a six-speed automatic transmission rather than an easily confused eight-, nine- or eleventy-speed unit. Or a damn CVT.